Chefs and foodservice leaders from America's top chain restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and key members of the produce industry joined forces to develop options for making fruits and vegetables more available to the growing number of consumers who rely on away-from-home purchases for meals and snacks. Produce First! American Menus Initiative, an innovative collaboration between Produce for Better Health Foundation and the Culinary Institute of America was held Jan. 15 at the CIA at Greystone in Napa Valley, CA. "Of the many diet and health imperatives facing the foodservice industry, one of

Humberto (Beto) Moreno, 29, who was previously with the Nogales, AZ, office of Hammonton, NJ-based Frank Donio Inc., has started his own company, Arizona Mixers & Fresh Produce LLC, in Nogales, in partnership with a brother, Mauro Moreno, 33, and Charles Slack, 40. Mr. Moreno told The Produce News in a telephone interview Jan. 13 that he opened the new company Dec. 31, and will specialize in distributing and brokering tomatoes and Mexican vegetables, primarily to customers on the East Coast. At Donio, Mr. Moreno had worked as a buyer and salesman, servicing chainstore accounts, many of which

Supervalu, CVS and an investment group led by Cerberus Capital Management L.P., including Kimco Realty, Schottenstein Stores Corp., Lubert-Adler Partners and Klaff Realty, announced Jan. 23 that they have reached definitive agreements to acquire Albertson's Inc. for $17.4 billion in cash, stock and debt assumption. Under the terms of the agreements, Albertsons stockholders will receive $20.35 in cash and a fixed exchange ratio of 0.182 shares of Supervalu stock for each Albertsons share. The value of the Supervalu stock, based on a $32.65 average stock price using the 20-day trading average of

"We are in a control and suppress mode," Liz Compton, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, said in response to the recent U.S. Department of Agriculture announcement that the canker eradication program is no longer effective, and that it will not continue to fund tree removal that is done with eradication as its goal. Ms. Compton added, "We have spent the past several years working to get rid of canker in the state through this program, and it is very frustrating to now have to give it up." Commissioner of Agriculture Charles H. Bronson announced the USDA

Sunkist Growers announced that Jeff Gargiulo has decided not to renew his contract and will leave the company in June after five years as president and chief executive officer. This will conclude a second stint of an initial three-year contract. Mr. Gargiulo assumed the leadership post at Sunkist when he joined the company in June 2001. During his tenure he spearheaded the reorganization of several of the Sunkist divisions while turning the focus of the organization toward leveraging the "Sunkist" brand. He helped develop strategies for global sourcing and diversified products, including the

Sometimes, the produce gene skips a generation. James Watson, a sales representative with Healds Valley Farms in Edinburg, TX, grew up around agriculture and is descended from ranching and farming families. But in fact, neither parent is in the trade. "They were the first city slickers of the bunch," joked the 23-year-old Mr. Watson, who was raised in Edinburg. His mother is a schoolteacher, and his father is an auctioneer. Still, agriculture exerted a strong influence in his formative years, and "it just progressed to something that's become a large part of my life," he said. Mr. Watson